Well I have a car with 178,000 miles on it. It still runs strong and I dont have the money for a rebuild, but i want to do something. I'm a little scared to do a cam or anything like that. I was thinking about 4.10s. I have headers, highflow cat, no muffler, cai, and hypertech. What do you guys think?

 

I'm thinking that the best <$1,000.00 performance mod is a gear swap. I also think that 4.10's are fine if you have an M6 transmission. If you have an A4, use 3.73's.

 

If its an A4 converter

 

Do you know how to rebuild an LT1? If it were me, I'd just hang onto that 1K and keep saving until I had enough for all the parts for a stock rebuild with forged pistons. I know it's not quite as exciting as thinking about the power you could add with bolt-on's, but then again you won't have to be lying awake in bed at night wondering how much longer it'll be before it blows up either. With the effects of mods aside, with that many miles on the clock it's pretty close to rebuild time anyway.

 

I will have to go with what was said above. Gears if its an m6 (4.10's) or a convertor if its an A4.

 

How old is the tranny? If that has a 100K+ on it as well, then I would just hold off on the converter and go with the gears. No sense in having your tranny taking a dump one day and taking out a nice converter along with it.

 

LE1 heads and used hotcam
or
longtubes, true duals & gears

Either of those should be right at $1k

 

save for the rebuild.

 

I'll agree save for the rebuild aswell. You could do a nice 355 if you save your money!

 

Save it.

 

If you really want to spend the money, buy a block on the side and start a rebuild. I'd say a 355. That way if the motor blows you'll already have a spare.